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League leaders Barcelona look for a third league win in a week as they host strugglers Real Zaragoza at Camp Nou today. Barceona needed a late goal from top-scorer Lionel Messi, who has 27 league goals, to seal a vital 1-0 win at Valencia on Wednesday and the champions are keen to maintain their seven-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid. Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez said ‘The Valencia win was a very important result. Points like these are what could win us the title.’ ‘There are still some difficult games to play. There’s a lot at stake. But we’re optimistic. We are pleased with the team dynamic, the way we’re playing and the attitude.’ Xavi returned from a calf injury against Valencia but Barcelona are still without goalkeeper Victor Valdes and captain Carles Puyol who are both doubtful for next Tuesday’s Champions League second leg at home to Arsenal. After difficult away matches at Real Mallorca and Valencia, Barcelona will be glad to be back at home although Zaragoza, two points above the relegation zone, are on a high after a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Real Madrid closed back to within seven points of Barcelona with an emphatic 7-0 home win over Malaga on Thursday to maintain their 100 per cent home record. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Madrid’s biggest win of the season and coach Jose Mourinho will hope his side can now improve on their erratic away form – they have dropped 14 points on the road – in Sunday’s trip to Racing Santander. Racing are unbeaten in their last five league outings under new coach Marcelino and they have only lost twice at home this season. Elsewhere, Valencia are at Real Mallorca as they battle to hold onto third and the final automatic Champions League place.

The 1-0 defeat to Barcelona was their first in the league in 2011 and Villarreal are now just a point behind in fourth.‘We are hurting after the Barcelona defeat but we competed with the best team in the world,’ said Valencia coach Emery. Villarreal closed to within one point of  Valencia and hope to stay on their heels with a win at Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Villarreal have been poor on their travels with just four away wins and Atletico Madrid will be full of motivation having moved to within three points of the top six. ‘It is a special game because there is a really good atmosphere at the (Vincente) Calderon,’ said Villarreal midfielder Borja Valero. European rivals Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla lock horns at San Mames on Sunday as the race for the European places hots up. Bilbao have lost their last four matches but are clinging to sixth place with Sevilla level on 38 points.‘When you can’t win you have to at least get a point,’ said Bilbao midfielder Carlos Gurpegui. ‘When you lose everything looks bad. Sunday is a huge game for us against a direct rival. We are in a good position in the league but we have to try and win against Sevilla.’Down at the bottom relegation rivals Hercules and Almeria face off on Saturday in a crucial six-pointer.‘Not scoring goals is certainly complicating things for us at the moment,’ said Hercules coach Esteban Vigo. Hercules have failed to score in their last three outings and are one point above the relegation zone, while Almeria prop up the 20-strong table.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a second half hat-trick to make it 27 league goals for the season as Real Madrid crushed hapless Malaga 7-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday to close the gap on league leaders Barcelona to seven points. Ronaldo had gone four games in all competitions without a goal - a drought by his high standards - but the Portuguese star hit the goal trail as Real ran riot. First half goals from French forward Karim Benzema, Argentine winger Angel di Maria and Brazilian full back Marcelo put Real Madrid into a commanding first half lead before Ronaldo took center stage in the second half to give Manuel Pellegrini a horrid return to the Bernabeu.Malaga coach Pellegrini guided Real to a record 96 points in the league last season only to be sacked after one season to pave the way for Mourinho's arrival.

Benzema started the match ahead of Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor and repaid the faith by opening the scoring on 27 minutes.Xabi Alonso delivered a free-kick into the box and Malaga defended it poorly allowing Benzema to stay onside and the Frenchman used the outside of his right boot to steer a volley into the roof of the net.Benzema had a second goal ruled out for offside minutes later after Mesut Ozil had crashed a left-footed free-kick off the post. Real Madrid were looking menacing and scored again on 35 minutes as Malaga were blitzed on the counter attack. The visitors were attacking with a corner but Real Madrid cleared and launched a speedy attack and some woeful defending allowed Angel di Maria to run clean though on goal. The Argentine showed good composure to side-foot home and then played a key role in the third goal on the stroke of half-time.

Angel Di Maria floated a neat pass to Marcelo and the Brazilian thundered a left-footed volley into the corner as Real Madrid went in 3-0 at the break.The second half belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's most expensive player bagged a 26-minute hat-trick.Ronaldo opened his account in the 50th minute and added his second from the penalty spot on 67 minutes with an emphatic spot-kick. The Portuguese star completed his hattrick nine minutes later after a good pass from substitute Sergio Canales and joins Barcelona's Lionel Messi at the top of the goalscoring charts on 27 goals. Benzema grabbed his second on 61 minutes and could have had a hat-trick himself, while Cristiano Ronaldo could have scored six or seven against a poor Malaga who stay second from bottom three points from safety. Earlier Almeria stay rooted to the bottom of the Spanish first division after a 1-1 home draw with 10-man Racing Santander on Thursday.

Lionel Messi scored his 27th La league goal of the season as champions Barcelona beat Valencia 1-0 at the Mestalla stadium on Wednesday to move ten points clear of rivals Real Madrid at the Spanish first division top. Messi netted a 76th minute winner as Barcelona continued their unbeaten away run and put Real Madrid under extra pressure to win at home to Malaga on Thursday. Messi had missed several chances in the first half but came better14th minutes from time slotting in a cross from Adriano to clinch a vital win.It handed coach Pep Guardiola his first ever victory at the Mestalla, which had been the only top-flight venue where he had failed to secure three points.For third-placed Valencia it was a first league defeat since early December of last year and Villarreal are now just one point behind them in fourth.It was an emotional first return to the Mestalla for Spanish super star David Villa, who spent five years at the club before joining Barcelona for 40 million euros in the summer, and the forward was given a warm reception from the home fans.Spanish playmaker Xavi Hernandez returned to the Barcelona starting line-up after recovering from his calf injury to join Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets in midfield.

Valencia decided to play with Juan Mata, normally a winger, leading the line and the hosts started at a high tempo to try and disrupt Barcelona’s possession game. Eric Abidal and Dani Alves were both forced to make crucial clearances for Barcelona early on before the champions found their rhythm.In the ninth minute Messi went clean through on goal but the Argentine fluffed a chance he usually buries on autopilot.Messi had three chances to score but missed them all with goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, third choice at the beginning of the season, standing tall.Valencia thought they had scored in the 20th minute but Jordi Alba’s goal was ruled out for offside.Just after the half hour mark Messi squandered another goalscoring opportunity when his lob landed on the roof of the net with only Guaita to beat.Villa and full back Adriano both went close before the interval but Barcelona went into the break frustrated at the 0-0 scoreline. Substitute Roberto Soldado volleyed just wide in the 51st minute for Valencia’s best chance of the match and Pablo Hernandez then curled inches wide of the post minutes later to give Barcelona a warning.The decisive goal came on 76 minutes with Brazilian Adriano cutting the ball across goal for Messi to arrive on cue to guide in with his trusty left foot.Earlier Villarreal ended a run of four league games without a win with a 1-0 home victory over promoted Hercules.Italian forward Giuseppe Rossi scored his 13th league goal of the season on 21 minutes to seal Villarreal’s 11th home win of the campaign as they got back to winning ways after collecting two points from the last 12.Elsewhere Athletic Bilbao crashed to their fourth successive league loss with a 2-1 reverse at Real Zaragoza.

Czech Jiri Jarosik headed an equaliser three minutes after the break and Nigerian striker Ikechuwku Uche scored the winner on 55th minutes as Zaragoza moved out of the bottom three.Bilbao, who could have gone above Espanyol into fifth, stay sixth but Sevilla are now level on points after their 3-0 home win over Sporting Gijon on Tuesday.In other matches, city rivals Getafe and Atletico Madrid shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. Brazilian substitute Elias Mendes, only on the pitch for 14 minutes, grabbed an 81st minute equaliser for Atletico after Manu del Moral had put Getafe into a third minute lead.